Disabled Members

The annual Disabled Members’ Consultation Conferences have proved to be highly successful, with previous events considering issues such as disability access, reasonable adjustments and the contrasting medical and social models of disability. 

This year's Disabled Members' Consultation Conference took place on Saturday 13 June 2009 and focused on issues relevant to disabled teachers in schools and colleges and attracted the largest number of members so far to such an event. 

The Conference  considered issues such as the NASUWT’s agenda to promote disability equality, ensuring schools and colleges fulfil their statutory responsibilities, career development for disabled teachers as well as the implications of recent legal developments and how the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is performing. Issues arising from the Conference will be used to inform and shape NASUWT policy and practice and influence the Union’s work with the Government, a range of national organisations and within schools and colleges. A full report from the Conference will appear here shortly.

This video is embedded from the NASUWT YouTube channel. You may have difficulty viewing it if you have filters blocking the site.

The NASUWT also  provides a two-day training course specifically aimed at disabled members interested in getting involved in the Union. This course for new disabled activists is available at Hillscourt Education Centre in Rednal, Birmingham. Additionally, the NASUWT has participated in the TUC Disability Champions project and training is provided for those seeking to be a Disability Champion within their workplace.

Have your say!

"...It's so good to read there is another teacher out there with hearing problems! So I am not alone!
I wear digital hearing aids in both ears and have been partially deaf from birth. I have been teaching for 11 years now in a Secondary school who have been really supportive. They are out there!..." - NASUWT member

All of the links below open in new windows.

• Union makes rapid response to disabled members’ sick leave concerns
  

1 December is World AIDS Day (new window). The theme this year is HIV: Reality- discovering the real stories about HIV in the UK today and helping fight prejudice. The NASUWT supports the work of the National AIDS Trust (NAT) (new window). 

The NAT has produced a school resource pack entitled HIV in Schools (new window). This is a practical resource for teachers providing innovative and simple ideas to get students thinking and talking about HIV. There is a need for improved education on HIV in schools, which will not only ensure that young people are able to protect themselves from HIV infection but will enable them to challenge HIV stigma and discrimination.

In December 2008 the NASUWT signed a letter drafted by the NAT calling on the government to write to headteachers to underline their obligations and give specific guidance on HIV discrimination. In addition the National AIDS Trust presented to Equality Officers at the March 2009 Equality Officers Briefing. Under the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 it is illegal to discriminate against anyone with HIV. However, an investigation by the National Aids Trust discovered that children and teachers with HIV are being discriminated against in schools.

National AIDS Trust presentation to March Equality Officers' Briefing (MS - PowerPoint 126KB)

The NASUWT is signed up to the Trade Union Charter for Disability Equality (new window). The Charter was launched by the Trade Union Disability Alliance in 2006 in at the TUC Disabled Members Conference. The Charter details the actions that trade unions are expected to take to support disabled members under the Disability Discrimination Act, within a Social Model of Disability context.

The NASUWT supports the Disability Champions at Work (new window) initative. Disability Champions are trade union representatives with an interest in disability issues. More than 1000 people have become Disability Champions. They come from 39 different trade unions and are located in all regions of the UK.

The Disability Equality Duty on public bodies came into force on 4 December 2006. This means that there is now a legal duty on all public sector organisations to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people. The Duty is meant to ensure that all public bodies including local government and schools pay ’due regard‘ to the promotion of equality for disabled people in every area of their work. NASUWT Equality Officers and Workplace Representatives work to ensure that schools and colleges implement this Duty.